Queen of the Earth Kingdom
by Jesus.Lives
Summary: It's finally up. Toph, Zuko, Aang, Bumi, Katara and Sokka arrive to help advise the Earth King on his upcoming marriage. But is it to his bear? Longerbee, Toko, Kataang, Zutara, Taang, Earth Kiula and that's just the START! Sequel to QUEEN OF OMASHU..
1. From Where We Left Off

_Here we are. The gang has arrived and I want to thank everyone convincing me to continue with this series. I am yet to own Avatar. Or the cheapest character there is._

_Sigh._

_Welcome to the Earth Kingdom... and lets get started for..._

**THE QUEEN OF THE EARTH KINGDOM**

(just pretend it's a booming narrator's voice introducing it).

----

**CHAPTER ONE: From Where We Left Off...**

It was getting later for the young Earth King who was set to announce his engagement, or at least he was set to confirm his engagement and at such an integral time came the invitation of the Earth King's greatest of confidants – King Bumi and Avatar Aang – both of which seem to have generally settled all their matters at this time, three years after the war.

King Bumi had a new lady friend back at Omashu (who didn't come with him on "business trips" mostly because of her old hips) and Avatar Aang was surrounded by his usual group of comrades; including the sometimes whiny next-in-line for the throne of the Fire Nation, Prince Zuko and his girlfriend, the (yet to be debated) roughest, toughest girl in the Earth Kingdom, able to take down men 20x her size… well, actually… able to take down anyone except for her two companions – Avatar Aang and King Bumi.

That Earthbending champion Toph, had been begging the old wrinkly geezer for a rematch ever since the last year where he humiliated both herself and her hot-headed boyfriend in the battle over the future of Omashu.

Being around Bumi, did nothing to lighten the girl's spirits, which were already souring from the moment they went over the walls of the gigantic city.

"I still hate this city" the Beifong said as they entered, her feet settling on the concrete of the walls as Appa set down and Zuko rubbed her back soothingly (yet quite futilely as it just seemed to aggravate her all the more).

"We've actually become quite accustomed to it" said a voice and the figure belonging to it gracefully swung over from the tree canopies that were blocking the sunlight of the tall city buildings. "Long time no see…" the voice said again and the figure dropped beside the weary travellers.

Toph grinned, feeling the familiar light pad of the girl's footsteps and she turned to her. "15 years too long" she joked.

Aang took no time embracing the seventeen year old that had just landed. In the three years since they fought together, and the two since he had suggested in confidence that (as trusted friends) the two orphans be assigned to the Earth King's Counsel.

"Smellerbee!"

It didn't look at first glance as though much had changed. The tree dweller still inhabited the trees and it seemed (much to the Omashu King's delight) that the new look of the Earth Kingdom capital was strangely organic – with canopies of trees everywhere that hid the tall buildings.

Much different to the old king's theme-park modelled city, yet still a lot better than what it used to be.

_And more fun…_ King Bumi thought, as he imagined himself in a toga swinging through the trees.

Nevertheless, it was quite obvious that the Earth King had been taking more advice from Aang's friends than Aang originally assumed he would have.

"I'll take it you're here to see the Earth King" Smellerbee said confidently, at last when all the introductions/re-introductions were complete.

"Yeah. Are the Dai Li around to escort us?" Katara asked sweetly, seething inside at how long Aang had taken in the embrace of the other girl.

Smellerbee scoffed at this, "You think the Earth King would be dumb enough to leave them in control of the city after they turned to the Fire Nation?" She didn't wait for a response, and answered the question that was hanging in the air herself. "No. We're in charge of Ba Sing Se defences now."

While everyone reeled, Sokka couldn't keep his mouth shut. "YOU?!!" He spat incredulously.

"…And our army. **The Jet Forces**."

Most of those within earshot grew visibly uncomfortable with the casual mention of Jet's name.

"We train new recruits to patrol, fight the outsiders and lock away anyone suspicious for questioning" at this Smellerbee threw an angry look to Zuko's direction, which Zuko was glad his girlfriend couldn't see. "We're doing it how Jet would have done it. We're not taking any chances. There's too much at stake."

"Wouldn't you feel safer with benders protecting the city?" Katara asked again, a little naively.

"The Earth King agrees that everyone would feel a lot safer with traitors outside of the city" Smellerbee snapped back at her, her expression darkening. "Plus, our recruits are specialists at different weaponry. You couldn't even have gotten close to the city if Longshot's crew didn't wave you through instead of shooting you down." Smellerbee secretly thought to herself that the young waterbender was giving her a good reason to make sure their next entry into the city wasn't so comfortable.

Sokka put an arm around Smellerbee. "Don't worry about her" he said, "she doesn't realize that non-benders are just as capable as benders. So when do we eat?"

At the words of the smooth operator, Smellerbee pushed him off of her. "Depends what you catch Ponytail" she said, walking ahead and indicating for the others to follow her.

"You DO realize you have a wife at Kyoshi?" Katara asked nudging her brother as she walked past.

"Yeah, but she never feeds me either" he grumbled, holding his stomach and daydreaming about baby moose-lion cubs.

"I'm really glad you'll get to meet my parents at their fall-house in Ba Sing Se" Toph whispered to her taller partner as they walked along.

"Fall house?" He asked confused.

"Yeah, they have one for summer, spring, fall and winter at different locations around the Earth Kingdom. It's a wonder that they're ever back at the regular house." She said nonchalantly.

Zuko smiled. He was going to fit right in with her rich parents. He knew there were some perks to Toph, and now was going to be the time of cashing in on those perks.

"So, who is the Earth King getting engaged to?" Aang asked happily to Smellerbee as they walked along.

She was either going deaf, or pretended that she didn't hear him. Aang didn't want to think that more secrets were revolving around Ba Sing Se than the last time they were here, and even more than that, didn't want to think that the Earth King had convinced the council that he could marry his bear.

Either way, it was going to be an extremly eventful trip to the Earth Kingdom Capital.

------

More action to come. Sneak peak for the NEXT CHAPTER:

"It DOES matter, Sugar Queen! She's in love with him. Just like how I feel about the angry jerk and how you feel about your own reflection."

"Well maybe she's in love with the Earth King too" Katara defended.

"You can't be in love with two people!" Toph spat back.

"Yes you can!"

"You're both idiots" Smellerbee muttered as she walked out towards the royal Dining Room.


	2. The Girls Are Back In Town

Alright. We've seperated the girls and the guys in this chapter:

MM. You've got it in one. I don't do much arbitrarily. So, yes... that was a foreshadowing.

Ebil: There does need to be more Bumi... he's great.

Typewriterman: Lol. Sean Connery. Could he pull off Bumi, though?

Fizzles/Charlee: in the last chapter Toph said "15 years too long" - her and Aang are 15.

It also said that Aang hugged the 17 year old (Smellerbee). Smellerbee and Katara are 17.

So that means Longshot, Sokka, Azula and girls are all 18. Zuko is 19. And with the rest of them... I've stopped counting. ;)

Goldylokz: Cool name. Juicy-ness to come. I'm sure Bumi's "Jane" can just dose herself up real nice and go vine swinging with Bumi. but she probaby wouldn't remember it after the medicine wore off. ;)

PFS, Cela, BB, Iroh'sgals: Woo hoo! Thanks and Longerbee to come (bring tissues)

_... Finally after all that..._

----

**CHAPTER TWO: The Girls Are Back In Town**

Longshot silently passed another robe over to the man standing in front of three large surrounding mirrors.

"No, no, no!" He threw the robe immediately back onto the young archer's face.

Pending the decision of the Avatar himself, the decisively-impotent King paced around his enormous quarters in his fancy gold threaded underwear.

If it hadn't been for Longshot and Smellerbee, the King would have been too afraid to resuming his usual duties of having someone else telling him what to do. In fact, the only people he promised himself to listen to were close personal friends of the Avatar, if not the Avatar himself – after Long Feng's betrayal.

"You shouldn't be so worried. Bosco doesn't care about what you wear" Sokka said spreading out on the Earth King's bed in his major chambers and rolling around a little, like a dog trying to rub his scent off on the expensive fabric.

"I don't think he's trying to impress Bosco. I think he wants to impress Smellerbee." Aang said wisely, shaking his head at Sokka.

He had figured it out, because he knew the Earth King's choice had to be pre-approved by himself, and the only other person within range of the Earth Kingdom capital was Haru; so after it was discovered through an embarrassing mishap on behalf of the king that Haru was not just an overly muscular woman of the war and due to that Haru had to resign as the cities defence leader, the King moved onto the next leader… after being particularly careful that he was in fact…_ a she._

"Can't it be both?" The Earth King replied nervously, his brow creased, secretly hoping that Bosco would approve of his outfit more than the girl.

Longshot said nothing. Mostly because he never said anything that wasn't worth saying, and because he knew better than to say what was worth saying because a selfish outburst would be bad for everyone.

Smellerbee had already made enough of a fuss about everything, that if he couldn't keep his cool for both of them, he was afraid that they'd both be out of a job again.

He remembered holding her and stroking her hair until her shouts of "No, I won't do it!" had calmed down… and then again, biting his own lip to prevent himself from shouting the same thing.

"Ah ha!" said the Earth King, parading himself in a new outfit, Longshot grimaced. Here was a man who couldn't even dress himself, that was set to get married to his best friend.

_What would Jet have said?_

------

"If I were becoming Queen, I would dress up more" the pretty girl in the blue dress said watching her friends get dressed in outfits that she would have considered to be unfitting for a royal dinner.

"But you aren't, so you're not Sugar Queen." Toph replied getting a bit defensive for Smellerbee. She knew firsthand what it was like to have expectations pushed upon you that you didn't feel like fulfilling.

Each group of the sexes had been confined to their separate areas to prepare the new "couple" for that evening's dinner party.

"I wonder what Longshot has to wear" Smellerbee thought out loud, imagining her friend in a variety of fiendish looking outfits.

"That doesn't matter" interrupted the pretty girl again, almost squealing with excitement at the events. "This is your night. You should enjoy it."

"It DOES matter, Sugar Queen! She's in love with him. Just like how I feel about the angry jerk and how you feel about your own reflection."

"Well maybe she's in love with the Earth King too" Katara defended.

"You can't be in love with two people!" Toph spat back.

"Yes you can!"

"You're both idiots" Smellerbee muttered as she walked out towards the royal Dining Room, suddenly deciding it didn't matter in the slightest what she looked like.

------

"So what are we doing here?" A voice said drolly from beside a girl dressed in a vixen-esque red dress.

"And why did you drag me away from my cute man friend?" Ty Lee said mid back flip. "And Mai away from hers…" she added to which Mai scowled.

Sure the crippled boy was _cute… and sweet… and perfect…_ but that just irked her too much. She refused to admit dependence on anyone and that was why she was with the exiled Fire Princess again. Far away from the Northern Air Temple, further away from the Fire Nation. Maybe she'd even see that cute bear again! She thought and then stopped and shuddered.

She was turning into Ty Lee.

She vowed right then and there that if she ever caught herself using the word 'cute' again, she would knife out her innards.

"I've heard they've replaced the Dai Li" Ty Lee babbled "so you won't have your men anymore."

Azula's eyes flashed. "I don't need men" she said angrily.

"What about Long Feng? You enjoyed torturing him. Maybe we could find him again and kidnap him."

"We don't have time for that" Azula responded to her bubbly friend, "Not if we're going to overtake Ba Sing Se."

"And how are we going to do that?" Mai felt quite like they were going around in circles.

"The Earth King needs a wife. We're just going to triple his options" their leader replied with a wink.

Ty Lee giggled. "It's always a blast with you Azula"

"Yeah," said Mai in her usual _'I don't even know if I'm being sarcastic anymore'_ tone, feeling like she missed Teo's smile already.

Even though (she told herself) she certainty didn't think it was 'cute'.

----

**SNEAK PEAK FOR CHAPTER THREE:**

"Well, well, well… if it isn't my brother… and friends."

Zuko let out a half-squeal like a pig caught eating out of someone else's trough and then catching his sister's eye, swallowed his chicken hard and began choking on some of the bone.

His face turning a purple color, Sokka whacked him on the back a few times, letting the bear on the other side of him get excited and start to imitate Sokka by giving Zuko a bit more of a pounding that he could bear (no pun intended).

----

_You know the deal. Fifteen requests. Fifteen reviews on chapter 2 before the next chapter goes up. (cause the next chapter is cool)..._


	3. The Honeymoon Clause

_Liselle: It is redundant, you're right. My beta is busy with exams. Wanna take over? ;)_

_Goldylokz: Paitence… patience… (ok, approx. 3 more chapters)._

_Hmm.No & PFS: Sob. Poor Longshot! At least Smellerbee is getting some action (even if it is with the Earth King…) Maybe Ty Lee will have to invite him in with her and Haru… ;)_

_RonWgirl: Thanks. :D Bumi will be sticking around…_

_Typewriterman: It's stuck in my head now too!_

_Ebbie: You know your topic list… the one right at the end… M is for… yeah. The last paragraph in this was what I was going to focus my drabble on for that. :D in case anyone doesn't know: It was masturbate._

_There, I said it._

_Iroh'sgals: …or on the other hand Smellerbee could be thinking "if I just gag him and close my eyes I can pretend he's Longshot" ;)_

_If it was Mai though, I think she'd like the chance to… not be alone with him._

_----_

_On with the show…_

**CHAPTER THREE: The Honeymoon Clause **

"I'd like to make a toast" the Earth King said, standing up and raising his glass as Smellerbee and Longshot exchanged a mournful look across the table. "To Bosco".

"Bosco?" Half the table piped up in confusion.

"Yes. To Bosco."

The bear in question growled.

"What about your lovely fiancé?" Aang hinted to the King. If he wasn't standing up, Aang would have nudged him to further get the hint.

"Oh? Yes. Her too."

Smellerbee blushed as they toasted to her, Longshot's eyes not leaving her face for a second.

The table was beautifully set up and two young guards stood at the door, surveying the interaction between the table.

"So, Miss Beifong" The King began, sitting down again. "I have heard your parents are quite keen on welcoming Aang into the family?"

Toph knocked her glass forward, the contents spilling out onto the fresh table cloth and leaving a malt stain. "Aang?"

The Earth King just smiled obliviously. "Yes. I was talking with them when they arrived here and they gathered from your description… a powerful bender, someone you'd been on the road with, someone that you spent a lot of time fighting with… that it was the Avatar. I must say they were relieved. They wouldn't have known what to do if you'd decided to be with anyone less than the Avatar…"

These were the type of expectations that Toph had been talking about! (Well… _thinking_ about…) Why couldn't they just respect her way of life? Why couldn't they just understand that she had to do things her own way?

Sure, they didn't like Aang… after the "kidnapping" and everything. But they certainly didn't think that anyone less powerful deserved their little girl.

Toph closed her eyes and imagined what they were going to say when she introduced Zuko:

_"A traitor to his Nation!" _

_"He's too old for her!" _

_"He was beaten by his own sister for most of his life!" _

_"He doesn't even deserve to be called Fire Nation royalty!" _

_"There's no way he deserves OUR little girl!" _

She looked across at him, being nuzzled by a bear and being bombarded with bad conversation by Sokka who was relaying ALL the details of his honeymoon that he felt necessary as Zuko's face looked like it was going to drop into his soup bowl.

Her parents would just have to be content with her choice, she thought. But she still felt sick to the stomach and wondered how long she could put off seeing them.

She couldn't think about this much longer because a shadow loomed at the doorway and all of a sudden, though unseen by her, she felt three sets of footsteps arrive. By the sound of everyone else's gasps she assumed that it wasn't a good thing.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't my brother… and friends."

Zuko let out a half-squeal like a pig caught eating out of someone else's trough and then catching his sister's eye, swallowed his chicken hard and began choking on some of the bone.

His face turning a purple color, Sokka whacked him on the back a few times, letting the bear on the other side of him get excited and start to imitate Sokka by giving Zuko a bit more of a pounding that he could bear (no pun intended).

Toph on the other hand, stood up taking action. "How'd you get in?"

Azula ignored the question. "Oh yes, it's my pathetic brother's child girlfriend."

At this, Toph struggled to get at her but was held back by Bumi. "If you're trying to get another feel, old man…" through gritted teeth she turned her anger to him, since she couldn't attack Azula. "Don't think I didn't notice you casually falling on me when we were on the bison."

"What. Is. She. Doing. Here? Katara seethed, meeting Azula's self-confident eyes.

"I invited her of course!" The Earth King replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The table went up in quite understandable uproar.

"You?" "You did WHAT?" "What?!!" were the not so varied responses from around the group.

"Why?" Katara – the most cool headed of all of them (except possibly for Bumi who was glancing admirably around at the decorative glass windows high in the room) – asked at last.

"Because I have to take a honeymoon and this lovely young lady has already run the Earth Kingdom before…"

"When she stole it from you!" Katara replied angrily.

"But Aang is too busy to run the Earth Kingdom and I thought that I would arrange someone else."

Azula went and sat herself at the table, Mai and Ty Lee who were beside her the entire time, followed and stood behind – one of them looking quite bored and the other waving to Sokka.

"She does have experience" Aang backed up the King's choice a little sheepishly. He knew the king had trouble doing anything by himself, so he wasn't going to embarrass him for trying now.

"Wait a second. Have to take? Nobody is making you leave." Toph said indignantly to the King.

"Actually…" He dug out a large book from a place that nobody could see and started flipping through it. "See. Here." He pointed at a spot in it and passed it on to Sokka, who passed it on to Zuko, who passed it along to Bosco and that's where the passing halted. "Clause 2650. It says that there are "kingly duties" that must be performed once one goes on a honeymoon that can not be avoided."

Longshot's face went red, but it wasn't redder than Smellerbee's who threw the rest of her drink down her throat and had her time to choke, spluttering and making such a commotion that Bumi leant over Katara and rubbed her back for her.

"You're going on a honeymoon because of a clause?" Sokka asked.

"Of course. I do most things because of a clause. I bathe because of clause 241. I watch what I eat because of clause 617. I have counsellors like my wonderful Longshot and Smellerbee because of clause 15." He said as if there was nothing strange about this at all.

"And I'm here to help…" Azula said to finish the discussion about it, looking like a cat that'd just swallowed about 12 mice:

Bloated but content…. Very, very content.

"Hi cutie!" Ty Lee finally said to Sokka… And Zuko's head finally fell into his bowl, although unfortunately the liquid was too thin to drown himself in.

If that wasn't all, just then Bosco, having gotten too excited of the frantic hitting of the boy beside him, decided to disgust and appal all present by a display of his own. Smellerbee, just looked on at the horrified looks of the others. "He usually does that after eating… or when he's bored… or anytime really." She explained.

Mai was the only one smirking. She really did like that bear.

-----

EXCITING SNEAK PEAKS FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER:

**Longerbee:**

_Don't go_. His eyes pled.

"I have to, Longshot. After what happened tonight… someone needs to be in the palace taking care of things."

-----

**Toko:**

"Just one duel and then if I win… you'll leave me alone" he suggested. Thinking of the only way he could to fairly get her to go back to her own room.

She jumped on him and held him down. "You're on…" She said, as he struggled to throw her on the floor.

-----

**Kataang:**

It was obvious to Aang she was thinking about Jet. This city always reminded him of something different though.

_His rebirth._ When Katara saved him – it was like she brought him back to life again and he fell in love with her… even more than he'd ever been before.

----

**Plus the most shippable couple in the entire fic:**

**(Guess the Oh-So-Obvious/Hints in the last 2 chapters Pairing)**

"Yeah…" she began, running her hand smoothly over the bristly fur, "I missed you too." She said quietly enough that no one else could hear.


	4. Night in The Earth Kingdom Palace

_I could reply to everyone's comments… or I could introduce… _

**CHAPTER FOUR: A Night in The ** **Earth****** **Kingdom****** **Palace******

----

It was much later, when Smellerbee came up to the city defence tree house, where one, if not both of them usually spent the night – where the whole city could be overlooked at any time they were paranoid about trouble starting.

Longshot looked up from what he had been doing, predictably sharpening some of his arrows, the same mournful look that had been present that entire afternoon still painted across his face.

"I've got to get some things…" she said, hurriedly looking around to what belongings of hers she could grab in an armful. Not that she had very much to begin with.

He got up and moved over to her, where she was trying to distract herself to the point of ignoring his presence. He wouldn't let her though, and grabbed her arm.

_Don't go_. His eyes pled.

"I have to, Longshot. After what happened tonight… someone needs to be in the palace taking care of things."

He didn't loosen his grip.

"We can't Longshot." She said again and pulled herself away from him, grabbing what she could and leaving into the night.

He heaved a sigh and turned his attention to the window. _Remember what she's doing this for… _he told himself, _for Ba Sing Se._

She had to protect the throne from people like Azula. She had to make sure things would run smoothly. She had to think about the people of the large city and not let the Earth King marry someone with a selfish agenda.

They really didn't have anyone else they could trust. It was just too bad that Longshot couldn't tell her how he felt about these "kingly duties" that had to be performed as a consequence…

----

"If you don't want me to bend the metal of this bed over your face, I suggest you move it… NOW!"

Zuko peered up at her and shuffled over. "Don't you have your own room?" He said plainly, turning back to his book.

"I don't like to sleep alone" she said, digging an elbow into him.

Zuko wondered whether or not he should be sympathetic. He decided not to be and turned the page of his book.

"Read to me."

"What?" It was a simple request. But Zuko didn't _do_ requests for other people. Surely she knew that by now.

"I can't read, Fire Breath. Read to me."

"But it's mostly pictures!" He stuttered.

"I don't care. Read the pictures."

She was like Iroh. Every time he thought he was getting close to having some alone time, she'd barge in and be… _herself. _

He half expected Iroh to wander in naked and ask if he'd seen his Pai Sho tile as well.

He sighed and put the book down, turning to look at her and brush the hair off of her face. He didn't forget why he was with her… but he still wanted time alone.

"Just one duel and then if I win… you'll leave me alone" he suggested. Thinking of the only way he could to fairly get her to go back to her own room.

She jumped on him and held him down. "You're on…" She said, as he struggled to throw her on the floor.

----

"This city always reminds me…" Katara looked sadly out from their palace room to the lights in the very big city.

It was obvious to Aang she was thinking about Jet. This city always reminded him of something different though.

_His rebirth._ When Katara saved him – it was like she brought him back to life again and he fell in love with her… even more than he'd ever been before.

He put his arms around her and she quietened down.

"I don't trust her…" she murmured. "Zuko doesn't trust her."

"Let's just enjoy our stay here. Plus, you've got Sokka to worry about."

That was true. Suki had put her on 'Sokka babysitting duty' – something she probably would have taken part in anyway. She always liked to be around – quite smugly – when her brother was caught doing something wrong (which was more often in a night than she could count on one hand – at least by Katara standards).

"Alright." She said turning around to face him. "I'll take this shift, you take the next…" she whispered into his ear.

He nodded dumbly in response. And similar to the first time they were in Ba Sing Se, he would do anything she asked.

----

"I let you win" he said, smiling in superiority as he kissed her again. He really hated the way she rubbed things in… and he was sure that subconsciously something was stopping him from beating her badly due to the fact she was a small, blind girl. So technically… he would have let her win.

"You must always let me win then…. because I seem to beat you a lot, Princess"

He growled angrily and kissed her harder.

All Toph could do was grin. She always got her way.

----

Mai stood by and gently patted the bear on the top of its head. There was no one else around and now that they'd secured entry to the palace, the girls were free to do as they pleased.

"Yeah…" she began, running her hand smoothly over the bristly fur, "I missed you too." She said quietly enough that no one else could hear.

----

"Sokka?" Katara whispered to herself as she saw her brother move around the palace from her hiding spot. "What's he doing going into the Earth King's quarters alone?" She edged further along the pillars to view what was happening…

But the door shut on her.

If he was taking it upon himself to give the King bad advice she would have something to say about it… or she would contact Gran-Gran to give him the nagging of his life for getting involved with other people's affairs.

_Yes._ That sounded like the best choice. _If only Gran-Gran could get here soon enough._


	5. Meet The Parents

_Yeah, haven't been around for a while... and learnt a valuble lesson - one really can't beta themselves! Have you seen the mistakes in this?_

_Oh, well... it's not like I write anything seriously here anyhow... ;)_

_Lack of motivation - so review and let me know what you want to see (if anything). I'm willing to go as quirky as you give me the ideas to be! ;)_

_---_

****

**CHAPTER FIVE: Meet The Parents (part one)**

A trumpet sounded.  
"May I welcome Master and Lady Beifong of the Beifong family."

"Your parents have a fanfare?"

The teenaged girl whacked the boy beside her on the arm. "They do a lot  
of stupid things because I can't see." Then she turned to the boy on  
the other side of her. "And what are you grinning about Twinkle Toes?"

The young airbender dropped his smile and exchanged a look with Katara.  
He had indeed been grinning. But being around the infamous Beifong's  
tended to do that to him - especially at Toph's reaction to them.

"And may I please welcome the daughter and heir to the Beifong fortune…  
Miss Toph Beifong."

"Yeah, shove it" said Toph brutely, doing exactly that to the fanfare  
announcer: shoving him aside and being forced into the 'mostly for show'  
embrace of her mother.

"Hi Mom. Dad…" She said, feeling the extent of their conversation was  
finished already. What else was she supposed to say to two people who  
didn't understand her?

"Toph! We understand you've been kept in very good hands by Avatar  
Aang. You two must tell us about all your journeys."

Evidently since they realized they'd have a better shot keeping a  
moose-elephant in their spacious home rather than their own  
free-spirited daughter, they seemed to have come to terms with accepting  
her lifestyle of world-saving with the Avatar. But still only just.  
Toph knew if they were to find out the whole story, about her time in  
the Fire Nation of all places, they would hire 100 Xin Fu's just to make  
sure that she was watched over day and night.

"No problem, Master and Lady Beifong" Aang said swinging on his feet;  
finding that after returning Toph to her parents once before that he had  
earned their trust enough to let her be with him and his friends  
whenever she wanted to.

"Oh please Aang, call us…" Toph's mother began…

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Toph yelled, interrupting her. There was no way  
her parents were going to reveal their hideous first names to her  
friends. She knew if Zuko got anything on her, she'd never hear the end  
of it.

"What's the matter Toph?" Her mother asked, "I was just going to say Mr  
and Mrs Beifong."

"Oh" she said sheepishly, as Zuko gave her a strange look. "Anyway, I  
wanted to introduce you to someone special…"

"Oh, Aang need no introduction" her father began, putting his hand on  
Aang's shoulder and wheeling him into mansion no. 5. and leaving Toph,  
Zuko, Katara and Sokka dumbfounded to follow after her parents treating  
Aang like he was their only son.

"You'd better straighten this out" said Katara angrily as she walked  
next to Toph.

"Yeah, yeah, Sugar Queen. You'll get your boyfriend back…" said Toph,  
secretly thinking that it would really be no big deal if her parents  
never found out that Aang wasn't really hers.

----  
To be continued…. 


	6. And the Next Part

**Hey guys! Like Ebbie, Liselle, Tpwrtrman... :D yeah... miss you guys.**

**Hope to get the juices flowing to keep write this. Make sure you let me know what to do with it!**

---

**CONTINUED FROM THE LAST CHAPTER...**

"You really should go to Omashu" Aang said with his mouth full, food  
going everywhere but the expensive china plate in front of him. "The  
new improvements Bumi has made, makes it the most original city in the  
Earth Kingdom now... and second to none in rides."

Everyone else had to know that the Beifong's did not want to hear about  
amusement park rides in detail, but they still had fake grins on for  
Toph's benefit and a servant was called over to offer Sokka another  
helping.

"You remembered!" replied Sokka, with a tear, as he took more food on  
his plate.

"Yeah, remembered you're an insufferable glutton" shot back Katara,  
rolling her eyes, still peeved that Toph had done nothing about her  
parents' assumptions that Aang was really her boyfriend.

"So how long have you and the Avatar been an item now Toph?" Her mother  
asked, still cutting up her first bit of meat. Did it have to take all  
day? Toph never knew until she was older that people had to actually  
eat anything – by the way her parents seemed to eat only for show.

Aang spoke first, "we're not actually…" until Toph cut in.

"Two months. We've been together for two months."

Zuko kicked her under the table, to which she ignored and Katara looked  
as though she was boiling up, herself.

"I guess that means that Zuko isn't taken then?" She asked over the  
silence of the table at last, when the shock had worn down enough for  
her to start scheming.

"Yes he is." Sokka said with his mouth full, bits of meat falling all  
over the tablecloth. "Ow!" He cried later when everyone within kicking  
distance had pummeled him in the shins.

"If Zuko wants to be trained by me any longer… then he'll do best to  
stay single" Toph commented gritting her teeth.

"That's not very nice Toph," her mother said, "let the boy date if he  
wants to."

Zuko just sat there smirking.

"I don't want him to, mom." She replied, stating each syllable clearly.

Katara batted her eyelashes, "So, let's say tonight? Around eight?" she  
said to Zuko, grinning at Toph's indignant expression.

It was just then that Aang clutched the tablecloth in horror. "I think  
I'm going to be sick" he said, going paler than he regularly was.

"Someone get him to one of the bathrooms" Toph's father utterly shrilly.  
But it was too late.  
It looked as though the Bei Fong's would have to shop for a new  
tablecloth later that day.

"I think I accidentally touched some meat…" said Aang a little woozily afterwards, as he dodged the  
cutlery that Toph bended at him.


	7. An Update

**NEWS:**

I know y'all are getting on my back cause I haven't updated for a while... yeah, I've been swapping fandoms cause Avatar is taking too long to give us season three!

But if anyone checked Mike & Bryan's School Time Shipping - two possible pairings FIRST featured in Queen of Omashu were shown - Ty Laru (woot! go the crack shipping that everyone else said wouldn't work!)

& The Deng (Duke & Meng - they were sitting together - methinks... so that's good enough confirmation for me!)

So those of you that think that Toko will never work... just you wait...

**AND...

* * *

**

**_I made a Jetara/Longerbee AMV!_**

And I want y'all to check it out at profile - **Easyboy201 youtube**

**So go there right now!**

While you're waiting around for season three to begin...

**& also - check out Charleegirl's profile for her cool new Kataang fic!**

**Thanks!!! & I hope to update properly soon! (until then enjoy the good tidings of vids!)**


	8. Smellerbee Makeover Chapter

**Author Note:** I haven't updated in a while. I still love this story though. Let me know you're still reading to entice me to write more! (We've got to have something to do before Avatar restarts).

**Chapter the author of this story has lost count… insert number here: The Generic Smellerbee Makeover Storyline **

* * *

"You know, Aang doesn't really dislike meat" Sokka pointed out, as he was still chewing on bread on the way back to the palace from Toph's parents abode. All but Toph gave him a look to tell him he's nuts. "I've said it for years now… I don't think it's possible to dislike meat."

"Anyway," Katara rolled her eyes and turned back to the rest of the gang. "Where were you thinking that we went out for our date tonight Zu Zu?"

"Hey, we made a deal. No more Zu Zu's."

"I didn't think you were serious." Broke in Aang.

"About not calling Zuko Zu-Zu?" Katara asked.

His face reddened. "No. About the date."

"Well, you and Toph seemed pretty serious about remaining an item in front of her family."

"It's just until she's ready to tell them, right Toph?"

"Then until she's ready to tell them about it, we'll be busy. Won't we Zuko?"

She grabbed his arm and tried to storm off towards the palace gate, but someone was waiting for them outside. A girl rubbing her arm looking apprehensive.

"Hey Smellerbee" Katara said, smiling and greeting her, letting go of Zuko's arm.

"Hi" she said, the city defense leader looking almost bashfully at her. It wasn't too long before the others caught up with them too.

"Is there something you want to tell us?" Prompted Katara.

"Yeah," Smellerbee said at last. "It's about Azula."

Zuko clenched his teeth, "what's she done now?"

"She's been in with the Earth King all afternoon."

Katara turned on her brother, "You have something to do with this, don't you?"

"Me?" He squealed and threw his bread behind him, which hit Aang right in the arrow.

"Yes, you. Aang and I have seen you hanging around the Earth King's quarters."

"I was just giving him advice, that's all!"

"Yeah? Well, we can give our own advice."

She said haughtily and grabbed Smellerbee's wrist this time, dragging her into the palace, past the guards like they owned the place.

"_That's my siste_r" said Sokka, slinging an arm around Zuko. "You know what would do really good at a time like this?" He asked him.

"Cactus juice" he answered his own question and steered the prince into the palace.

* * *

"So what am I suppose to do?" Smellerbee paced. "I'd hate to admit it, but attracting men was never part of the training in the Freedom Fighters." She gave a small smile.

"You seem to do just fine at it" Katara answered politely, referring to Longshot. "But just in case, we might want to do something with your hair… and get the clothes you need for a royal appearance."

"I thought the Earth Kings biggest concern was Aang's approval."

Katara bit her lip, she didn't want to forfeit the chance to give Smellerbee a makeover, "Well, we'll just have to make sure that the King knows that you are much more preferable to Aang, than Azula could ever be."

"I don't want to stop being the defense leader. This has been a real step up for Longshot and me."

"And I'm sure the Earth King knows that. We'll just going to have to let him know that there are other women in this palace, without having to turn to the fire nation."

Smellerbee felt a bit frightened at the prospect of Katara picking out her clothes. She knew Longshot would never laugh at her, but to go out of her way to impress someone she didn't even want to marry in the first place? That seemed crazy. But if the girls from the fire nation were going to fight dirty, she knew that they had to fight back just as hard.

* * *

"Azula?" Mai caught her coming from the King's quarters for the third time that day. Azula might have said, "triple his choices" – but it was obvious that she wanted to be the first choice.

"Mai." She responded curtly. 

"Just making sure… is your plan to marry the Earth King?"

"Are you worried about my reputation?"

"No. It's just… there is a honeymoon clause, if you weren't aware."

"Oh, I was very aware. But I don't intend on making it to the honeymoon." She leaned over and whispered the next part in Mai's ear, "But we'll be sure to make it look like an accident."

"Good. Because I'm getting bored here."

"Keep the bear distracted. I can't have him, or that friend of the Avatar's ruining my plan."

Mai smiled. "Goody. Bear duty" she said, wondering how sarcastic she really was about her newly assigned mission.


End file.
